1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to raceway assemblies, and, more particularly, to electrical raceway assemblies that increase assembly, installation, service, and maintenance efficiency associated with, for example, illuminated signage. The present invention further relates to methods for utilizing the electrical raceway assemblies disclosed herein.
2. Background Art
Raceway assemblies and associated accessories and components have been known in the art for years and are the subject of a plurality of patents and publications, including: U.S. Pat. No. 8,925,746 entitled “Modular Raceway System for Electrical Components,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,877 entitled “Electrical Raceway Assembly,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,297 entitled “Self-Closing Electrical Raceway and Dedicated Seat Track Cover,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,576 entitled “Hinged Top Lid for Cable Channel,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,976 entitled “Detachable Cover for Wire Ducts Having a Living Hinge,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,175 entitled “Multi-Channel Raceway for Electric Wires, Cables and Other Elongated Utility Lines,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,123 entitled “Raceway Structure for Power Panel,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,130 entitled “Raceway for Sign Box,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,137 entitled “Electrical Raceway and Receptacle Assemblies,” U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,568 entitled “Electrical Ceiling Raceway,” and United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0210724 entitled “Support for Signs Incorporating an Electrical Raceway Therefor and Sign and Method Utilizing the Same”—all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety including the references cited therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,925,746 appears to disclose a modular raceway system for electrical components that includes horizontal members to accommodate the attachment of trim, the attachment of vertical members containing slots for connecting attachment brackets and other brackets used to secure electronic devices or other objects. The raceway system appears to be used to conceal wiring and minimize the amount of holes required for wall connection points in a finished room.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,877 appears to disclose an electrical raceway assembly for use with a table-top structure. The raceway assembly includes an elongated raceway and a locking element. The locking element includes a first end detachably engaged to the raceway, and an opposite second end having a locking lever movable between a locked position for quickly engaging the raceway to the structure and a released position for quickly releasing the raceway from the structure. The elongated raceway has a length, a transverse base and a pair of opposite upstanding sidewalls extending along the length to define at least one open channel configured for retaining electrical wires. The raceway is engageable to the table-top structure in either a first position, wherein the raceway extends above the upper surface, or a second position, wherein the raceway extends beneath the lower surface. The raceway is further engageable in either a forward facing orientation or a reversed orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,297 appears to disclose a protective wiring assembly that includes a raceway having a top portion, a bottom portion that is opposite the top portion, and a self-closing portion intermediate the top and bottom portions. The bottom portion has a bottom locking rib and interfaces a support on which the assembly can be disposed. The self-closing portion has a top locking rib and a top guide rib. The top locking rib is engageable to the bottom locking rib. A cover interfaces the top portion of the raceway. The cover has a pair of retention legs and a load bearing rib that transmits force from the top portion to the support.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,576 appears to disclose a cable channel and lid assembly having an elongate cable channel for supporting wire and/or optical cable therein and defining outwardly facing grooves adjacent the top edge of each sidewall. A hinged top lid is provided including two opposing sidewalls wherein each sidewall includes an inwardly extending portion for being received by a corresponding channel wall groove. One of the top lid side walls is substantially rigid and can be disengaging raised from its associated channel wall groove, and the other of the top lid side walls is flexible and adapted to be fixedly secured in its associated groove so as to serve as a hinge when the aforesaid opposing top lid side wall is raised.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,976 appears to disclose a reclosable cover for converting a two-piece electrical wire and cable duct system into a one-piece reclosable duct. The cover is fabricated from a dual-durometer plastic co-extrusion having a flexible hinge portion extruded of a resilient lower durometer plastic material. A clip assembly formed along one edge of the cover includes a modified U-shaped channel to receive and clamp the top end of a duct channel sidewall. Flexible fins are provided within this channel to further locate and retain the duct cover. A generally V-shaped hinge support member and dual ridges provide enhanced hinge integrity and an interference engagement therebetween to provide a cover remain-open type function. The clip assembly and support member share common elements to thereby improve on the space and cost efficiency of the duct cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,175 appears to disclose a multi-channel wireway in the form of an elongated housing that includes a retaining strip and a cover removably mounted to the retaining strip. The retaining strip includes a base of L-shaped profile and a series of vertically spaced and horizontally oriented parallel-elongated shelves which define a number of compartments adapted to separately receive therein different types of electric cables and wires and other utility lines such as compressed air lines. The compartments are open-ended towards the cover and are thus accessible when the cover is removed. An elongated closure plate is removably mounted to the open side of at least one compartment, such as the compartment containing the power cables, to deny direct access thereto even when the cover is removed. The shelves have various depths to provide better access thereto. The cover is gravity-supported in a closed position thereof by the retaining strip. The overall configuration of the wireway eliminated openings through which spilled substances could access the inside of the wireway with a view of facilitating cleaning operations. The cables can enter and exit the wireway through connections provided in the retaining strip and an inverted U-shaped cover is provided exteriorly of the retaining strip to protect these connections from spilled substances.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,123 appears to disclose a raceway structure for association with a wall panel so as to enclose and confine power and communication cables which extend longitudinally along the wall panel and longitudinally throughout several series-connected such panels. The raceway structure utilizes a pair of side covers which removably attach to the wall panel and cooperate to define a raceway for enclosing therein electrical terminals and communication cables. The raceway structure has access openings for providing convenient access to the electrical terminals, such as by permitting an electrical receptacle, power feed, or communication cable to be positioned therein or passed therethrough. The side cover has a closure integrally hinged thereto for closing the access opening when use of same is not desired, with the closure being swingable into an open position within the raceway while remaining integrally attached to the cover when use of the opening is desired, whereby different openings can be selectively utilized when desired and then closed again when use of the opening is not desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,130 appears to disclose an electrical raceway for installation in an illuminated sign box of the type having a translucent sign panel in the form of an elongated and hollow structure which provides reinforcement for such a sign box and a housing for electrical conductors. Such raceway has two series of knock-out discs for mounting both left-handed and right-handed lighting fixture receptacles. When such raceways are installed in a sign box, the lighting fixture receptacles can be mounted so that the lighting tubes extend between two such raceways completely across one of the series of knock-out discs in each such raceway thereby improving the overall illumination of the translucent sign panel, and reducing the patches of varied light intensity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,137 appears to disclose an electrical raceway assembly having a channel shaped cover and a plurality of receptacles mounted in the cover. A pair of cover sidewalls have free edges bent toward one another, and longitudinally extending recesses are formed in opposite sides of the receptacles in confronting relation to the free edges on the cover sidewalls to provide a pair of by-pass conductor compartments with the free edges of the cover sidewalls serving as conductor retaining jaws. The '137 patent also appears to disclose an electrical receptacle assembly featuring a receptacle face cap removably fitted over a raised front face of the receptacle. The face cap has projecting flanges which may be interposed between the receptacle and its cover plate to secure the face cap in overlying position on the receptacle face.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,568 appears to disclose an electrical raceway comprising a housing which, in section, is enclosed on all sides except an opening which extends along the entire length of the housing. The opening may be closed by a removable cover plate after suitable wiring has been laid into the raceway within the housing. The housing may be of any suitable shape and, in fact, may form two separated raceways, each of which is enclosed by a removable cover. Suitable means are provided, replacing predetermined portions of the covers, for mechanically connecting electrical or telephone conduit thereto so that a suitable connection can be made between the cable within the raceway and that in the conduit. Structure, formed integral with the housing, is provided for suspension of the housing from a building ceiling in such a way that the suspension system does not interfere with access to the raceway through the cover plates. Structure for supporting a false ceiling is also formed integral with the housing and extends therefrom for holding false ceiling panels below the housing in a well-known manner.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0210724 appears to disclose a support structure for a sign that includes a longitudinal housing having a pen front and adapted to be secured to an upright surface. At least one gusset panel is oriented transversely in the interior of the housing. The gusset panel has a forwardly disposed notch facing the open front. In one embodiment, the housing includes a primary panel forming a bottom wall and a rear wall. A front panel strip is supported at the upper front of the gusset panel. End panels, which may be gussets, may be used to close the ends of the housing. The top of the housing may be open and a removable lid may be used to enclose the open top. A sign is also disclosed wherein a longitudinal faceplate extends across the open front and carries at least one display character.
While the above-identified patents and publications do appear to disclose various raceway type assemblies, as well as accessories therefore, their configurations remain non-desirous and/or problematic inasmuch as, among other things, none of the above-identified raceway assemblies appear to be configured to increase assembly, installation, service, and maintenance efficiency as associated with illuminated signage—among other things.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical raceway assembly that is configured to materially increase at least one of assembly, installation, service, and maintenance efficiency associated with illuminated signage.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims, and drawings.